Match and toothpick dispenser



1. n. BYER.

MATCH AND TOOTHPICK DISPENSER.

APPLICATION FILED APR- 6, 1920.

\, 1 395 3 Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

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BY WW L ATTORNEY.

y INVENTOR.-

.I.' D. BYER. MATCH AND TOOTHPICK DISPENSER- APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1920.

1,395,388. Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

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INVENTOR.

r w ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES JOHN D. BYEB, OF

BUTTE, MONTANA.

MATCH AN D TOOTHPICK DISPENSER.

Application filed April 6,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN D. BYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Butte, in the county of Silver Bow and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match and Toothpick Dispensers of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement on the match and toothpick dispensers of my Patents 1,199,244, September 26, 1916, and 1,289,112, December 31, 1918. In my aforesaid patents the operating device or lever is located at one side of the dispenser and there is some tendency for the dispensing slide to bind.

My present improvements overcome this defect by the provision of a double lever which cooperates with the dispensing slide in such manner as to balance the action and entirely do away with any tendency of the dispensing slide to bind.

In my aforesaid patents no means was provided for preventing choking of the matches or toothpicks as they were contained within a holder or receptacle in which the dispensing slide operated.

My present improvements provide for a reservoir or receptacle for the matches or toothpicks separate from the receptacle or compartment from which they are dispensed. I provide improved feeding means for allowing limited numbers of the matches or toothpicks to pass from the reservoir or receptacle to the dispensing compartment. thereby preventing choking. In addition thereto a cut-ofi' is provided to cooperate with the dispensing slide to insure the delivery of but one toothpick or match at a time. I I

The present invention has further improvements in the holder into which the matches or toothpicks are dispensed, said holder being constructed and arranged so that the user may readily grasp and remove the toothpick or match after delivery thereof by the dispensing slide.

Further improvements reside in the combination bet-ween the dispensing slide and the means, such as a slide, which stirs or agitates the matches or toothpicks in the reservoir or receptacle other improvements comprise the provision of an improved closure for the match or toothpick reservoir, the relative arrangement of the bottoms of the dispensing compartment and the match or Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 371,665.

toothpick reservoir, and other features, combinations and relationships of parts appearing more fully hereinafter.

I am aware that modifications may be resorted to in carrying out my present improvements and the disclosure is therefore to be considered as illustrative, rather than restrictive, of the scope of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22, Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a plan View;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of the dispensing slide, agitator, and bottom for the dispensing compartment and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the latch for the top closure.

The dispenser 1 may be mounted on any suitable base 2 which may have a match scraper if matches are to be dispensed.

In the upper part of the dispenser 1 is a match or toothpick reservoir 3 which is provided with transparent front and rear walls 4 and 5. .An improved closure for the top of the reservoir comprises a sliding cover 6 which has a locking bolt 7 to engage one of the sides of the dispenser. On sliding back the cover, access may be had to the reservoir 3 for purposes of replenishment. The bottom 8 of the reservoir 3 slopes downwardly toward the rear and is separated from the rear wall of the dispenser by a slot 9.

Located below the bottom 8 is the bottom 10 of the dispensing compartment 11, said bottom 10 sloping downwardly toward the front of the dispenser. The matches or toothpicks which pass down through the slot 9, fall upon the bottom 10 and accumulate, in a limited quantity, in the compartment 11. The slope of the bottom 10 causes the matches or toothpicks to gravitate toward the front of the compartment 11 so they will be in position to be fed upwardly, one at a time, by the dispensing slide 12.

An agitator or stirrer 13 is slidable vertically in a groove 14: in the rear wall of the dispenser and is adapted to move upwardly through the slot 9. The purpose of this agitator is to prevent choking of the matches or toothpicks in the slot 9 and to facilitate the descent thereof into the compartment 11, in limited quantities. The upper edge of the stirrer or agitator 13 may be beveled at 15.

The dispensing slide 12 is more or less of lever operating means comprising the, piv-.

the form of the dispensing slide of my Patent No. 1,289,112, although the proportions are changed. There are provided slots16 to accommodate the spacers, or projections 17 at the front edge of the bottom 10. The slide 12 is adapted to move upwardly and downwardly in front of the forward edge of the bottom 10 and is limited in its upward movement by the engagement of the lower ends of the slots 16 with the spacers 17. The downward movement of the slide may be limited in any suitable manner, for instance, by contact with the'base 2. When in this position, the upper edge of the slide is in line with the front edge of the bottom 10. Consequently, no match or toothpick can fall through past the front edge of said bottom 10.

Projecting from the dispensing slide 12 is a pin 18 which is received in a slot 19 in the stirrer or agitator 13. This connection'provides a lost motion operating means for'the stirrer 13 whereby the latter is retracted downwardly when the slide 12 descends and the slide 12 is allowed to pass upwardly to dispensing position before the pin 18 engages the upper end of the slot 19 and causes the stirrer or agitator 13 to be elevated.

To balance the action of the dispensing slide 12 and overcome the tendency to binding which exists in the dispensers of my earlier patents, I have provided a double oted levers 20, 21 whose rear ends are received in openings 22 in the slide 12 and whose front ends are connected by a cross piece or finger hold 23. The pivot 241 for the levers '20, 21 extends through both of them. It will be seen that regardless of the point of the application of the pressure to the finger hold 23 when the machine is operated, such pressure will be transmitted equally to the levers 20, 21 and from them to two different points of the slide 12; consequently, bindingis obviated. V

A follower or closure 25 is pivoted at 26 andpressed downwardly by a spring 27. This closure normally covers the dispensing slot 28 through which the matches or tooth-' picks pass from the compartment 11. When the slide 12 rises it engages the closure 25 and lifts it to permit the match or toothpick to pass through the slot 28. Y r The front part of the dispenser is provided with a holder 29 of improved configuration. The bottom of this holder slopes downwardly from the slot 28 and then rises, providing pockets 30. The bottom is also provided with a finger-receiving groove. 31 which opens out through the front of the dispenser.

1 When the toothpick or match passes through the slot 28 it rolls down the incline holder 29 and is arrested in the pockets. The match or toothpick remains in the pockets 30 with its intermediate part bridging the finger-receiving groove 31'. The match or toothpick is thus positioned so that when the user places his finger in the groove '31, the match or toothpickcan readily be grasped between the thumb and forefinger.

To facilitate the descent of the slide 12 it is preferable to employ a spring 32 which forces the slide downwardly; There is provided a pin 33 on which slidesan car 34 carried by said slide 12. The spring bears against said earandalso against the casing of thedispenser.

lVhat I claim is f 1. In a dispenser for toothpicks or matches,'the combination witha compartment or holder for the toothpicks or matches, of a dispensing slide operating in the front part of saidcompartment, a stirrer or agitator operating in the rear part of said compartment for the toothpicks or matches, and an operative connection between the dispensing slide and the stirrer or agitator.

2. In a dispenser for toothpicks or matches, the combination with a compartment or. holder. for the toothpicks or matches, of a dispensing slide operating in the front part of said compartment, a stirrer or agitator; operating in the rearpart of said compartment for the toothpicks or matches, and an operative connection bewhereby the slide is adapted to perform the 7 dispensing operation before actuating the stirrer or agitator.

In a dispenser for toothpicks or matches, the combination with an upper match or toothpick reservoir or compartmenthaving an inclined bottom extending across said compartment except for a slot at the side of the latter, of a. lower dispensing compartment having a. bottom located below the first named bottom and inclined oppositely thereto and positioned to receive matches or toothpicks falling through the slot from the upperreservoir, a dispensing slide for delivering the articles from the lower dispensing compartment, and an agitator or stirrer cooperating with said slide and adapted to operate in the slot aforesaid to prevent choking of the matches ortoothpicks in the upper reservoir, and to facilitate their descent into the lower reservoir.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 

